MUSIC STUDIO: WHAT TO DO TO ENSURE HIGH QUALITY SOUND?

Recording a hit song isn't just about a good tune or talent. The acoustics of the venue have an extraordinary influence on the quality of the songs and recordings. Therefore, in today's text, you will know the main factors to obtain great acoustics in Music Recording Studio Cape Town. Don't miss out!

Importance of good acoustics

When recording a song in a studio, it is necessary that the sounds of other environments are not heard in the studio, because if this occurs, the recordings will present noise. But, there is also the concern that the studio is adequate so that the sound emitted does not disturb other people.

These concerns are even greater when the studio is in someone's home. Especially if that person lives in a building. After all, in buildings it is much more difficult to record without noise and much easier to receive noise complaints.

In addition, the quality of a recording depends on the acoustic quality of the place, since errors or lack of acoustic design can cause an imbalance in the absorption between bass, midrange and treble, which causes the muffling of certain sounds and musical notes.

Factors that affect acoustics

Problems such as noise present in the recording, reverberation and sound muffling can occur due to a number of factors. However, if some details are carefully observed during the construction of the studio, the results will be very positive.

Distances between walls, ceiling and floor

Even using the ideal materials you may have an inappropriate sound if there are standing waves in the environment. Standing waves can over-reinforce or cancel sounds at a certain frequency, directly interfering with the final recording result. This phenomenon occurs mainly in small environments with parallel walls, as well as parallel ceiling and floor, when the sound wave lengths are multiples of the room dimensions, that is, the distances between walls, ceiling and floor.

To prevent this from happening, the first solution is to design the studio with sloping walls, thus breaking the parallelism between surfaces. If this is not possible, the dimensions of the studio should be designed in such a way as to make it difficult for these waves to appear, considering different values ​​for length, width and height and, preferably, that they are not multiples of each other. In this way, the occurrence of this phenomenon will be reduced. For this project, the best alternative is to enlist the help of professionals in the field.

Soundproofing

As we saw in our Post “ Understand the differences between sound insulation and sound absorption“ , insulation basically depends on the density and thickness of the material, but in other cases it can be achieved with lightweight multilayer systems, known as mass+spring+mass systems, available in different compositions depending on the isolation required. The parameter that classifies the acoustic insulation of aerial sound is called Rw – Airborne Noise Reduction Weighted Index – and is determined in the laboratory.

At this stage of the studio project, it is also important to analyze the electrical installations and the air conditioning installations, as well as the adequate acoustic treatment to avoid their interference in the recording, since the environment of a studio is closed and can become hot and stuffy.

Acoustic Conditioning

Acoustic conditioning will define how the sound will be distributed throughout the environment. In general, coverings are used on walls, floors and ceilings that offer diffusion and sound absorption, but to achieve the necessary acoustics it is important to equalize them. Use products that offer complementary sound absorption curves, and of course, in the right measure, so that the studio favors both the music and the voiceover.

There are many materials and options on the market, from acoustic foam boards, wood coatings, diffusers and bass traps, which can be an option when building, renovating or adapting a music studio environment.

windows and doors

It's no use using the best materials on walls, ceilings and floors if your studio has common windows and doors. They do not provide proper sound insulation.

In these environments, the presence of windows should be avoided. When possible, they should be eliminated and turned into walls. But when this change is not possible, it is necessary that they be transformed into special windows.

For this, replacement with a thicker glass or even the use of double glazing must be carried out. After replacing the glass, it is important to check that the window seals are working properly.

The window between the technical room and the recording room must also be special. It must therefore have double glazing or an acoustic visor must be purchased.

There are also acoustic doors that offer better insulation than regular doors. In addition to having an efficient sealing system, avoiding gaps between the door and frame or door and floor.